Role: East Dundee's first recorded police officer Active: June 1887 – at least 1893 (six-plus continuous years) Sources: east-dundee-record-vol1, pp. 1–367; east-dundee-treasurer-account-book, pp. 6–7, 14–17 (independent salary confirmation, spelled "Guldan" throughout) (July 2, 2026 photographs)
Henry Guldan holds the distinction of being East Dundee's first recorded law enforcement officer. His name appears in the village's earliest meeting records, beginning in June 1887.
The Ivory Blue Police Suit
At the June 27, 1887 Special Meeting — one of the very first meetings recorded in the village's record book — the Board of Trustees voted $10.00 toward purchasing Guldan an "ivory blue Police suit." The motion was made by Chas. Duncker, seconded by John H. Funke, and described as contributing ten dollars "towards buying an ivory blue Police suit."
The specific color and style of the suit — ivory blue — is one of the most vivid details preserved in the early record book. It suggests that East Dundee's first officer was issued a distinctive uniform, likely to mark him as an official village presence at a time when the community was still establishing its municipal identity.
Service and Compensation
Guldan's annual compensation appears to have been approximately $50–58 in police salary, paid regularly through the village's monthly accounts. He appears in bill lists across multiple meetings spanning 1887–1889, consistently listed as "Police" or "Police Service."
His work involved patrol, enforcement of village ordinances (particularly the liquor ordinances), and appears to have operated under the oversight of the Board of Trustees and the Police Magistrate.
Six Years of Continuous Service
The complete record book for 1887–1893 shows Guldan appearing in the bill lists at virtually every meeting across six-plus years. His annual compensation grew modestly:
| Period | Police salary (annual) |
|---|---|
| 1887 | ~$50–58 |
| April 1890 (one meeting) | $38.09 (partial period) |
| 1892 | $58.00 |
| 1893 | $57.00 |
Independent Confirmation
The Treasurer's Account Book — a separate ledger, begun May 10, 1889, confirmed authentic on 2026-07-04 — independently corroborates Guldan's police salary: pages 6-7 and 14-17 show repeated $58.00–$68.00 "Police" payments to "Henry Guldan," spelled consistently. This confirms the figures from the board minutes using a completely separate financial record.